Welcome to Pulau NTU, the uluest university in Singapore. If you’ve studied there, you’d surely be familiar with these 12 peculiar things only NTU students will understand.
1. Travelling to school
You used to think that Singapore is small until you live in East and you would rather travel to Pulau Ubin instead.
No matter where you live, unless you stay in hall, you dread and groan inwardly on a daily basis when you think about travelling to NTU. Or rather Pulau NTU, the most ulu university in Singapore.
2. When it rains, it floods…?
This has probably only happened a few times, but where else would you get to experience a free wading pool in school?
Exclusively at NTU’s North Spine.
3. “Eh wanna supper at Ah Lian?”
Your stomach is growling furiously at 2am and nothing’s open? Maybe its a sign to jio your hall friends to Ah Lian to satisfy those late-night hunger pangs!
Huh simi Ah Lian??
This is the 24hr Economic Bee Hoon stall at Pioneer MRT is ‘endearingly’ known as Ah Lian Bee Hoon, a favourite supper haunt for NTU students. Rumour has it that it was previously owned by an Ah Lian, hence the name.
4. That Dim Sum Building
Expect to find students mugging at ‘Dim Sum Building’.
The Hive is NTU’s latest learning hub and has created much buzz for looking like stacks of Dim Sum baskets.
Regardless of how you feel about The Hive, I’m sure we can all agree that it is really quite something.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAhQd98j4aq/?taken-at=987813166
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAWws2KS8wq/?taken-at=987813166
5. Fighting in the Stars Wars
Twice a year, every NTU student prepares for war.
A war that would change their lives.
Not any other war, but Stars Wars.
This first-click-first-get course registration system is no less than a battle. It requires strategic planning for Plan A, B & C, sharp eyes, high-speed Internet, and important training of the index finger muscle. You brave warrior.
6. Praying to the bell curve god
It has become a must to pray and give offerings to the almighty bell curve god.
That is if you don’t want to ‘tank’ the bell curve.
7. Wearing home clothes to school
What’s more comfy than wearing dry-fit school t-shirts and flip flops to school?
I’m definitely not saying that all NTU students dress like that, but with the halls conveniently located within campus itself, NTU students tend to dress more casually than their NUS/SMU counterparts.
Just remember confidence = style. And home clothes = comfort = high concentration in classes = GPA 5.0
8. ‘Creative’ Hall naming system
If NUS has Cinnamon College, King Edward VII Hall and Sheares Hall, NTU has its Hall 1, 2, 3…16 and Pioneer and Crescent Hall.
Well, it’s easy to remember at least!
Plus, most of the hall clusters consist of halls numbered closely together, making it easy to locate.
9. Picnicking at ADM’s rooftop
Took Bus 179 into NTU and spotted a unique green rooftop? No, you are not anywhere near Marina Barrage.
The rooftop on the Art, Design and Media (ADM) building at NTU used to be the ‘coolest’ thing in NTU before The Hive.
From mid-autumn festival celebrations to birthday picnics and photoshoots, this rooftop serves as a scenic open space for students to chill and take a breather.
10. Spotting wildlife
Surrounded by much greenery, NTU is also home to wildlife such as wild boars, wild dogs and even snakes.
Wildlife is so common that you may have even spotted the “Caution! Animal Crossing” signs on the roads leading into the campus itself. But don’t you worry, as long as you do not disturb the wild boar it’s relatively harmless and actually kinda cute (um we are not sure about the snakes though)!
11. Queueing up for almost everything
Long snaking queues everywhere. From the Quad, Can A, and Koufu to collecting free welfare packs, waiting for the shuttle bus and school t-shirts sales, you never realised how many students there were on campus until you experienced one of the above.
Sometimes you tell yourself it’s only once a semester and you sell your soul to this sort of insane mindless queuing just to get a free welfare pack (I mean it’s not even Hello Kitty).
12. Feeling that sense of pride when NTU has climbed the rankings again
There’s a lot to complain about NTU.
Then again, at the end of the day, when you hear that NTU has jumped the global university rankings again, you can’t help but feel that little sense of pride creeping up inside you.
You go, NTU! (:
